The Practice: Tranquil Wisdom Insight meditation combines the practice of mindfulness with concentration in a seamless flow. Deepening comes when the meditator can easily keep the meditation object in mind. Joy and tranquility grows as the mind becomes more collected and calm. With these mental skills the meditator can investigate how phenomena occur in the mind and apply this investigation towards the problem of suffering and its cessation.

The Teacher: Ven. Bhante Vimalaramsi, an American monk who was ordained in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, has founded the American Forest Tradition at the Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center in Missouri. He has spent over 35 years practicing, studying and teaching the Buddha's way to cessation of suffering. More information about him and a large collection of his talks are available at dhammasukha.org

The Retreat: Dhamma Dena Vipassana Center at Joshua Tree California is in the high desert in a sparsely populated neighborhood. Ven. Bhante Vimalaramsi will give a Dhamma talk from the Suttas every evening and interview each participant daily in order to most effectively guide each student to maximize his/her progress and understanding. The Eight Precepts are kept during the retreat. There is an emphasis on lightheartedness, smiling and fun while doing this important work.

Cost: Food and lodging: $420 for 10 days.Meals: Vegetarian breakfast and a main meal at lunch time with tea and juices in the evening.

Lodging: 1-2 persons per room, accommodations are dependent on the mix of men and women enrolling in the retreat, maximum 20 people.

Tuition: Dana, a separate donation to the teacher/sangha.

Location: Dhamma Dena Center is 8 miles from Joshua Tree in the high desert, 45 minutes north of Palm Springs, California. Shuttle from the Palm Springs Airport can be arranged with the meditation center.

"An important term for meditative absorption is samadhi. We often translate that as concentration, but that can suggest a certain stiffness. Perhaps unification is a better rendition, as samadhi means to bring together. Deep samadhi isn't at all stiff. It's a process of letting go of other things and coming to a unified experience." - Bhikkhu Anālayo